Carpet-stretcher.



No. 758,562. PATENTED APR.26, 1904.

W REIGHLE CARPET STRETGHER. APPLICATION FILED JUNE a. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

V TLQV Patented April 26, 1904.

UNITED STATES? PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM REICHLE, OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.

CARPET-STRETCHE R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 758,562, dated April 26, 1904.

Application filed June 3, 1903. Serial No. 159,854=. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM REIoHLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Sangamon and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carpet-Stretchers, of which the following is such a full, clear, and exact description as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use my said invention. 5

My invention relates to carpet-stretchers of that class which employs extensible frames in connection with stretching devices for stretching the carpet. V .l

The purpose of my invention is to provide a carpet-stretcher formed of two sections suitably connected so that the sections may be folded on each other and each section having an extensible frame, the whole being so constructed and arranged that'thestretcher may take a double hitch on the carpet at each setting of the stretcher, as hereinafter more fully explained; to provide means for securing theextensions in their"extended position, and to provide means for simultaneously moving both of the stretcher-bars, one traveling twice as far as the other. 1

With these ends in view my invention consists in the novel features of construction and combinations of parts shown in the annexed drawings, to which reference is hereby'made, and hereinafter particularly described, and finally recited in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a top plan of the complete apparatus. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical transverse section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, and Fig. tis an enlarged detached perspective view of one of the clamps.

Similar reference-letters designate like parts side pieces of the main frame, the position of the extension relative to the main frame being determined by the notches in which the clamping devices engage. The form of the clamping device is'clearly shown in Fig. 4.

' The main rear frame consists'of channeled side pieces B, joined by cross-pieces B. The rear frame is connected with the front frame by hinges 5. Notched extension-bars B are separately slidable in the channels of the bars B. The extension-bars B are separately adjustable in order that they may be made to fit against a slanting base-board or a slant-ing wall. Clamping devices 6 engage in the notches in the extension-bars to secure the extensionbars in position.

Guide-bars A and B are secured to the bars A and B, respectively. Draw-bars A and B slide on and are guided by the guidebars A and B respectively. The draw-bars have downwardly and forwardly projecting teeth on their under side which engage in the carpet during the operation of stretching. A spring B connects the bar B" with the rear cross-piece B. In the front section of the main frame the extension -frame slides between the slidebars A. In the rear section the extension-bars slide on the outside of the bars B.

A horizontal winch D turns in standards a on the frame A and has on each side an elongated hub or shaft extending outward beyond the standards. A ratchet (Z on one hub of the winch is engaged by a pawl d on one of the standards a to prevent backward turning of the winch. The drum of the winch has transverse holes, in which a rod may be inserted to turn the winch. A sheave cl is connected with the rearcross-piece of the extension-frame A Cords E have one end connected with the draw-bar B and theother end connected with the hubs of the winch, so that when the winch is turned rearwardthe cords will wind on the hubs of the winch. Cords F pass through the draw-bar A and have one end connected with the winch, so that when thewinch is turned rearwardly the cords will wind on the drum. These cords are knotted near where they pass through the draw-bar, so that whichever way the cords are moved they will pull on the 0 draw-bar. The rear ends of the cords F are connected with a cord F, which passes around the sheave (Z and is connected with the drum of the winch, so that when the winch is turned rearwardly the cord will unwind from the drum. The diameter of the drum of the winch is just twice the diameter of the hub on the winch.

It will be seen that the bar A being connected with the drum and the draw-bar B being connected with the hubs of the winch the draw-bar A will travel just twice the distance that the bar B travels for each revolution of the winch. During the operation of stretching the draw-bar A, traveling twice the distance of the bar B, will not only take up the slack produced by the bar B, pushing the carpet forward, but will also stretch the carpet between the winch and the bar B to the same extent that the bar B has stretched the carpet in its rear.

The two sections of the stretcher are substantially equal in length, and the stretcher as a whole is preferably of such length that one setting of the stretcher will suflice to stretch the carpet across a room of ordinary widthsay fifteen feet; but the stretcher may be made of any other suitable or convenient size without departing from my invention, the sections folding on each other for convenience in transportation or storage.

The spring B serves to retract the drawbars A and B after the stretching has been completed and restore them to the position to begin the next stretching.

The operation of the stretcher is as follows:

The extension-bars B are extended until the distance between the draw-bar B and the rear end of the extension-bars B is substantially one-half of the length of the carpet to be stretched. The front extension-frame is then moved forward and clamped in such position that the extended lengths of the sections of the frame will be approximately equal. The teeth of the draw-bars A and B are then engaged in the carpet and the winch is turned rearward to cause the cords to wind on the winch and pull the draw-bars forward so as to stretch the carpet, as already described.

Upon raising the front end of the stretcher so as to withdraw the teeth of the draw-bars from the carpet the spring B' will react and retract the draw-bars into position for the next stretching.

I am aware that, carpet-stretchers having extensible frames have heretofore been used. I therefore do not claim that feature broadly.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv 1. In a carpet-stretcher, the combination of a main frame, a winch mounted on said frame and having a drum and hubs, the diameter of said drum being twice the diameter of said hubs, draw-bars slidable on said frame and connecting devices connecting said draw-bars with said winch in such manner that one of said draw-bars will travel twice the distance that the other travels for each revolution of the winch, as set forth. I

2. In a carpet-stretcher, the combination of a main frame, a winch mounted on said frame and having a drum and hubs, the diameter of said drum being twice the diameter of said hubs, draw-bars slidable on said frame, connecting devices connecting said draw-bar with said winch and means for simultaneously retracting said draw-bars, as set forth.

3. In a carpet-stretcher, the combination of a main frame consisting of sections having a hinge connection, an extension-frame slidable on one section of the main frame, separatelyadjustable extension-bars slidable on the other section of said frame, means for clamping said extension-frame and extension-bars, a winch mounted on said extension-frame, draw-bars slidable on the main frame, connecting devices connecting said draw-bars with said winch,

and means for retracting said draw-bars, as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name, at Springfield, Illinois, this 29th day of April, 1903.

WILLIAM REICHLE.

Witnesses:

MAY F. RYAN, ROBERT H. DOOLING. 

